1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the control of printing presses. More particularly, the present invention is directed to automated control of printing presses from remote locations via a voice based interface.
2. Background Information
Control of a conventional printing press is implemented using an interface configured as a control console, typically having a keyboard and display. The operator must be present at the control console, and use his hands to enter press control requests and to request specific status information from various locations within the press. In response to hand keyed control commands and requests, status information can be displayed at the console for viewing by the operator. Status information is typically provided to the control console via either a wired link or via a wireless (e.g., radio frequency, or RF) link.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the requirement that the operator be situated at a centralized control console location can be an impediment to efficient monitoring of press operation, particularly as the size of the press is increased. A typical web fed printing press can be quite large and can, for example, encompass an entire press room. This renders the monitoring of various locations in the press quite cumbersome because the press operator must return to the control console each time a particular point in the press is to be monitored following a visual inspection of the area. If a particular fault indication is displayed at the control console, the operator must walk from the control console to each specified area of the fault condition.
One attempt to address the cumbersome nature of controlling a press and monitoring press status information from a centralized control console area is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,842. This patent is directed to a wireless control device for a printing machine. The control device includes a portable hand unit having a transmitter, and plural push buttons for selecting a desired command to be sent to one of plural electronic control units associated with a printing machine. The commands can be transmitted from the hand unit over a wireless link using, for example, electromagnetic radiation such as infrared waves, or by ultrasonic waves. A speech analysis system is generally described as being employed with the wireless control device to permit commands to be entered verbally by the operator. The verbal commands of the user are described as being converted into some digital format (e.g., infrared light pulses) to increase transfer assurance. In operation, the operator would presumably enunciate a particular command or status request which the hand unit would convert using, for example, pulse code modulation, into a signal which is transmitted to a control unit of the press. The control unit then activates the final control elements, such motors, valves and so forth, or provides the appropriate feedback indication. For example, relatively limited feedback information can be provided to the operator via acoustic warning alarms and so forth. Thus, the hand held unit does not transmit or receive voice per se, but rather the operator""s voice is converted into a specific pulse code modulated signal, and only limited feedback is provided.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a voice based interface for a printing press which can respond to a wide range of voice input from the operator, and which can provide status reporting in the form of voice feedback to the operator.
The present invention is directed to providing a printing press interface which permits the operator to walk freely about the press during operation, and to input voice commands and to receive press status information as recognizable voice feedback. Exemplary embodiments permit the operator to initiate voice commands and to receive voice status information when the operator is located anywhere in a vicinity of the press. For example, the operator can communicate with the press via a wireless headset which transmits voice commands from the operator to the press, and which receives voice status information transmitted from the press.
Generally speaking, exemplary embodiments are directed to an apparatus for interfacing with a printing press comprising: means for monitoring status conditions of a printing press; and means for generating audible indications of said status conditions as voice outputs.